Principles of Organismal Biology,
Evolution and Ecology
BioSci 131-1710 & 1711
Diablo Valley College
Spring Semester 2010
Instructor: Raymond Goralka, Ph. D.
phone messages: (925) 685-1230 ex. 2799.
email: rgoralka@DVC.EDU
office: LHS 211
office hours: M W 9:30-11:00; Tu Th 2:00-3:00
Course:
BioSci 131- Principles of Organismal Biology, Evolution and Ecology
5 Units, SC students may opt to take the course for a Cr/NCr grade.
Web page: Log on to WebCT via the campus website
Class Hours:
Both Lec:
1710 Lab:
1711 Lab:
MW
Tu Th
Tu Th
8:00 a.m.- 9:15 a.m. SC-501
11:00 a.m. - 1:50 p.m. LHS-201
8:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m. LHS-201
Prerequisite: Chem 120; Recommended: Eligibility for English 122.
Note:
For students with little or no background in college biology, Bio 130, or
Bio 102 is recommended before taking Bio 131.
Texts:
Biology, 8th Edition, Campbell Reece
BioSci 131 Lab Manual, Fourth Edition
Photo Atlas for Biology, Van De Graff and Crawley
Required
Required
Optional
Tests:
Scantron Answer Sheets
Required
Student Transportation: By student to field sites, and seminars.
Required
Bio 131 Spring 2010 Tentative Schedule
Course Description: In BioSci 131 we study three broad areas of Biology: Evolution
(Origin of Species, Microevolution, Macroevolution); Biological Diversity (within and
among the Kingdoms); Ecology (How organisms interact with other organisms and
their environment). There is a field trip to Bodega Bay, as well as several trips taken
during the regular lab period. In all trips the students must provide their own
transportation.
Course Objectives: After successfully completing this course students should be able to:
 Provide evidence for the theory of evolution by natural selection.
 Compare microevolution, speciation and macroevolution.
 Categorize organisms into major systematic groups in a phylogenetic classification
scheme.
 Identify major anatomical structures of the different groups of fungi, plant and
animals.
 Effectively use and care for common laboratory equipment e.g. microscopes.
 Differentiate among lifecycles for the different groups of fungi, plant and animals.
 Explain mechanisms of transport and growth regulation in plants.
 Explain major ecological concepts in climate, population growth, community
interactions, and ecosystem processes.
 Summarize and report on a peer-reviewed scientific article on an environmental or
evolutionary topic.
Attendance: You are responsible for all material presented in the lecture or lab,
whether it can be found in the texts or not. Lab space is very limited, and
missed labs and field trips last only the one period and often can not be made
up later. You may be dropped if you miss (even with an excuse) four labs
/ lectures.
Lecture Exams: You are responsible for material assigned from the text and all that is
covered in lecture, whether it is also found in the text or not. The exams as
scheduled may be multiple choice, matching, definitions and short answer questions.
The four lecture period exams are 100 points each. The cumulative final is 50 points.
Missed exams: Normally there are no Makeup lecture exams. The final exam (50 pts) may
be doubled (100 pts.) and used to replace your lowest exam score. Normally, if you
miss a lecture exam, the final will replace that score. If you miss two lecture exams,
one will remain a zero. Lab Exams generally cannot be made up. Failure to attend
a lab exam may result in an incomplete for the course. All students must take the
final exam during the assigned time period. All missed labs must be made up
before the corresponding lab exam.
2
Bio 131 Spring 2010 Tentative Schedule
Extra Credit Seminar: Students may attend an appropriate scientific presentation (e.g. U.C.
Berkeley seminar) related to our course material and write a brief report. Other
professional level activities presenting primary research may be substituted with prior
consent. Due one week after the seminar or event. Reports will be accepted
until May 17th.
Lab: The dissecting kit and photo atlas available in the bookstore are both highly
recommended. General lab safety is required. You are encouraged to bring
protective eyewear during the dissections.
Use of animals in the lab: Part of the course includes learning basic animal anatomy, and
phylogeny. To this end, there are a few labs that require preserved animal
dissection, and a toxicology lab using live brine shrimp. If you have strong objections
to these procedures see me at the beginning of the semester.
Coastal habitats Field Trip: There is a required field trip on Saturday May 14th or Sunday
May 15th to Bodega Bay, and Coastal Dunes.
Field trips: Students are required to arrange their own transportation to and from the field
study sites. While at the site students should consider themselves “In Class” and
avoid distractions (no talking, cell phones, smoking, dogs, etc.).
Late Work: All work turned in past the start of the class period on the due date will
automatically loose 25% of the points possible per calendar day late.
Format: All reports must be typed, doubled spaced (except graphs which may be drawn
by hand on graph paper). Assignments may not be emailed in lieu of print nor turned
in on disk for me to print out. If a paper copy is not turned in on time, the
assignment is late (see above).
Withdrawing from the course: I will drop anyone not in attendance at the beginning of the
semester. After the first class it is the responsibility of the student who registered to
withdraw, even if he/she has stopped attending class. If you miss too many Labs /
Lectures (even with an excuse) but attend most classes you still may be
dropped!!
Academic Integrity: I will help eliminate the temptation to cheat by making cheating
difficult. When taking exams, you may only have a pencil at your desk. Anyone
caught cheating will receive a zero on that exam and maybe be dropped from the
course and reported to the Dean of the College.
3
Bio 131 Spring 2010 Tentative Schedule
Support Services: Please take advantage of the support services on campus: Learning
center, Computer Lab, Assessment Center, Disabled Students Programs and
Services, Career Center Media Center, ESL (English as Second Language) Puente,
and the Counseling center.
Learning Center: The Biology department has a learning center / computer lab in LHS
116. Tutoring for 131 is provided either by the professional tutor or former students.
Graph drawing / report writing on the computers may be done there as well. You
may use the CD’s from your text here, and do web research for your oral report.
Tutoring can help anyone in the course. It can help you keep an already good
grade in the class, and facilitate your studying. Please take advantage!!
Learning Disabilities: If you have any kind of learning or reading disability, please see me
at the beginning of the semester. If you are working with a counselor to overcome a
disability, ask your counselor to send me information on your special needs.
4
Bio 131 Spring 2010 Tentative Schedule
Grading: A single grade will be given for the entire course based on total points earned:
Lecture Exams (4 @ 100 pts.)................................ 400
Final Exam (also low score replacement)............... 50
Laboratory Practical Exams (5 @ 65) .................... 325
Laboratory quizzes (5 @ 10) .................................. 50
Seminar Report (extra credit up to 10) ................... 0
Laboratory Projects ............................................... 140
Total Points Possible .......................................... 965
Letter Grade
Per Cent
Estimated Points
Needed*
A
> 90%
869
B
80%
772
C
70%
676
D
60%
579
F
< 60%
578 or less
Lab Projects: ............................................................. Points:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Antibiotic Resistance Graph
Fungi Growth Graph
UC Botanical Garden report
Plant Communities at Briones
Plant Growth Project (GA) Report
Coast (Bodega Bay) report
Environmental Oral Report**:
a.
Start choosing topics
b.
Bibliography- Primary resource
c.
Written essay on topic
8.
Oral Presentation- Power Point
9.
LD50 Graphs
10.
Active Constructive Participation in Lab
Lab Projects Total:
( 5 pts.)
( 5 pts.)
(10 pts.)
( 5 pts.)
(15 pts.)
(25 pts.)
(10 pts.)
(20 pts.)
(20 pts.)
( 5 pts.)
(20 pts.)
140 pts.
Due date:
2/8
2/25
3/4
3/16
4/13
5/18
2/11
3/22
5/3
5/11,13,18
in lab
all semester
* The percent scale (90, 80, 70, 60) of the total points will be used for the grades. If
complications causes assignments to be changed, the points estimated will change as well.
** To receive any credit for the sections preparing for the oral report, an oral report must
actually be given in front of the class. ( i.e. No oral report, no credit for essay, biblio. etc.)
5
Bio 131 Spring 2010 Tentative Schedule
Date
Jan 25
Lecture- Lab Topic
Introduction, Darwin, Evolution
26
Lab safety, Phylogeny, Evolution
27
Prokaryotes
28
Proper use of Microscope
Feb 1
Chapter
1.2, 22
27
Fungi set up: plate cultures
Protist Origins and Diversity
28
2
Bacteriology: oil immersion lens
Set up antibiotic test
3
History of Life on Earth
4
Protista 1 – Non-photosynthetic
Finish antibiotic test
8
Descent with Modification
Antibiotic graph due
9
Protista 2 -(Algae)
10
Microevolution
11
Lab Exam I
25
22
Lab Quiz 1
23
Start taking Oral Report Topics
Feb. 15 Holiday
16
Fungi : Chytrids, Zygomycetes, Ascocmycetes
Set up: Fungi projects
17
Exam I Chapters 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28
18
Fungi : Ascocmycetes; Basidiomyctes, Lichens, Mycorrhizae
Finish: Fungi projects
22
Speciation
23
Plant Diversity: Mosses and Ferns
24
Fungi
25
Plant Diversity: Seed Plants (Conifers and Angiosperms)
Fungi Graphs due; Lab Quiz 2
Sat 27
Field trip: UC Botanical field trip (meet there at 9:00 or 11:30)
24
Set up: Plant dwarf peas
31
March 1 Plants: Colonization of Land
29
2
No lab – UC Botanical Garden field trip compensation.
3
Plants: Evolution of Seed plants
Lab Exam 2
UC Botanical Garden report due; Set up: Plant normal peas
4
6
30 (38)
Bio 131 Spring 2010 Tentative Schedule
March 8 Transport in plants
36
9
Angiosperm Diversity: Floristics; Fruits
10
Transport in plants
11
Field Trip: Meet at Briones park.
15
Plant Structure (On exam 3)
16
Plant Anatomy: Primary Growth; Stems
Set up: plant growth experiments
36
35
Briones report due
17
Exam 2 Chapters ( 24, 29, 30, 31, 36)
18
Plant Anatomy: Secondary Growth; Roots
22
Plant growth regulation
Oral Report Bibliography due
Structure Plant Anatomy: Anomalous growth, Leaves
39
39
25
Plant growth regulation
Finish Plant Anatomy - Plant growth measurements
Lab Quiz 3
29
Introduction to Animals
32
30
Lab Exam 3
31
Invertebrates (lab mostly) , Vertebrates
23
24
April 1
4-9
33, 34
Animal Diversity: Sponge, Hydra, Planaria
Spring Break
12
Animals: Vertebrates / Human evolution
13
Animal Diversity: Nematode, Rotifer, Earthworm
Plant growth (GA) experiment due
14
15
Behavioral Biology
Finish Animals thru Annelida
19
Intro to Ecology – Climate & Biomes (on exam 4)
20
Lab Exam 4
21
Exam 3 Chapters 32, 33, 34, 35, 39, 51
22
Animal Diversity: Clam, Squid, Crayfish
7
34
51
Video: Signs and Signals
Lab Quiz 4
52
Bio 131 Spring 2010 Tentative Schedule
April 26 Intro to Ecology- Climate & Biomes
27
28
29
May 3
52
Insect Diversity – ID Insect orders & Grasshopper dissection
Population Ecology
53
Animal Diversity: Sea Stars, Lancelets, Vertebrates
Power Point info.
Population Ecology
Environmental Essays due
4
No lab
5
Community Ecology
6
Human Evolution Skull models measurements Video: Human
Evolution
10
11
Ecosystems Ecology
Environmental Oral Reports
12
Ecosystems Ecology
13
Environmental Oral Reports
53
(Bodega Bay Field Trip Compensation)
54
55
Set up: Toxicology: LD 50's
55
Finish: Toxicology: LD 50 graphs
Sat 14 or Sun 15
Bodega Bay Field trip
17
Conservation
Last Seminar reports due
18
Environmental Oral Reports
Bodega Bay Report Due
Video: Empty Oceans Empty Nets
Lab Quiz 5
19
20
Exam 4 Chaps 52, 53, 54, 55, 56
24
Final Exam 8:00 – 10:00 Required (50 pts) , and may replaces
either missed lecture exam or lowest lecture exam score (100
pts.).
Lab exam 5
8
56